The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-09-23
COLsOEN IL SAVAGE'S
LITTER,

,,u ,.raltv. uCr would trouble yon now
ivitb this letter except ior the tact that
pcr.ons whom consider friends 10 the
i,rople have requested my opluionn Re
terence go the proposed amendment TO the
Constitution.
An men in a Republic are IN duty
bound to work and vote as best they may
10 promote the general welfare. Those
persons who believe that prohibition Is
riph; and will do the people more good
than harm, should vote for the amendment /
I h, Pc whe doubt, fear or believe that 1t Is
wrong, and will do the peoule more arm |
ihnn good, should vote against / t. While |
] should prefer to be silent, / recognize
the right Of the people to demand the
opinions Of public servants upon all ques-
tionk concerning the general welfare.
in every contest concerning the puohc
welfare he that is not for the people Is
against them. It has been my sincere de-
s sire Tor more tn an forty years to speak
aud act in strict accord with the precepts
/ and urincipies of true Democracy. / DO
not mean by this that have uniformly
approved the practices and professions Of
party leaders, or the policies promulgated
by PARTY conventions-On the contrary, l
have sometimes been much dissatis fed
with the acts of party men and the decla-
I
an is not gold that glitters"; all are not
Chrlsliaus " no are IN the church; all are
not Democrats who run with the process
sion and wear the namo.
: The doubtful, non cOmmittal political
dummy who taxes his ingenuity now
not to say in" and how not to do it, is a
poor sort Of Democrat. The twO-tace q
4 forkedtongued hypocrite j. more danger
. GUS in politics than in churc The chufci
hvpocrite only hurts himself; he canno
a deceive the Great Spirit, The polihca
: hypocrte, for pIometion and to hill m
lockets from the hard earnings OF tn
:, ieople, will often conceal his opinions, ig
. more or DENY the truth, indorse error an
uislead and deceive the people Tor pei
y and petty Office,
n Eternal vigilance and constant recur
renee and rigid adherence to Depocrail
v principles and practices, as taught in In
= better days Of the repubnc, are now ne
cessary to secure the rights and libertIe
of the people against the expressions
h. organized monopoly and special class les
nv islation often procured by ways and mea
- neither honest or creditable.
1t was generally known, pending IL
"a. election Between Col Wood and mvse
that either, if elected, would vote to su
all NIT the proposed amend ment to vote
nj the people at the ballot-box. l think
was also wellknown that neither OF us
ID Vored its adoption. II was not discuss
2 in the canvass nor mentioned but once
any public meeting.
TO all who inquired, ! said: 81 pr
posed to submit the State debt question
the people at the ballot-boX, and l W
still willing to trust the people on al
question, that the people have the right
alter, or reform or abolish their COVER
mont If they think proper. If a MAORI
should vote for the amend ment as De
ocrat l should abide theresult.
In the Legislature I did not disc
the question, nor did / oppose or aid
paesin the resolution; except 10 give /
/ silent vote 1t was W ell known to
friends in the Legislature that l woI
ire not support it ut the ballOt-boX, 1t
Democratic to submit a public questl
to trial and arbitration at the baliot-t
so that the will of the majority may
:, - pear and be made the law OF the STAT
~ For more than forty years have hei
zee. Doliticiaus discuss the liquor questi
~, and the penitentiarv question, bat hi
never made public speech IN retere
re either. have my opinions on both tn
subjects, but they are so different AID "
" divergent from Others that have .
llsCs unwilling to undertake the heTculean
mai of convincing both sides and l reg ct I
that am requested to write and 81
TIC in regard to the proposed amendment
in The State debt question cost me tn
rl sands Of hard-emned dollars IN posi-
ma stamps. printers bills; hack hire,
we'll railroad and hotel fare, and six yeal
!, nard toll. and brought much abuse
'h0J but little thanks.
that It's not because I am regardless OF
public veal that 1 have been silent,
1iuN my private business has demanded
nice ttentfon. and / have sincerely del
that the people should be allowed to
"s0u upon the amendment without eXclten
IL. instrumentation intolerance; dogn
ia cal assertions, abusive epithets, and
charitable denunciatiOns regarding
acts Of men in this world and IN the
rs of to come.
As Democrat 1 recognize the doc
that the representative Is bound TO
the will of his constituents, and Is TIT
want and not the master of the PeoI
The amendment. if adopted, vii
DIST. the Law of the State, and nothing ]
IN. It will be a rule of civil conduct tol
'AO' ing men, and not for the dead in etc
1886; G CO Mt has no care Of souls; I
291 vdes Tor men IN oGi T to come s to e s
II, and his priest and conscience. II
Nh wards and punishments OF Cover
80; p ra1 isr1 taught by religion are
20, great hereafter. will Judge no
N,ne sink So low IN CRIME, misery,
misfortune as to do without the provl
VT. and mercy of the Eternal Father.
g. NJ In America, all religions are pro
- w. bv the State. None are created or
). S25- by the temporal power: All men ha
right to worship in any manner
PoI~~' think proper, no matter oW rIdl
/: Ne. and absurd, worship may ~ pear to
/. 20 They may hold to the calf 81 the Sc
y - To Noses OF MahOmet, to the earth
sly stars. to an atom or the sun, to an
10 Sc. made Of gold, wood brass or stone,
}; Nc. practice Christian virtues or play Il
pocr.ts and pray like the Fharlse'
none dare modest them while they
10 the law of the State.
Let others discuss prohibition q
liqious and moral question; Will e
. il as a law only, and in the light OF
nv and reason, Law writers dehr
~ asa rule OF civil conduct, presorl
IN, the supreme power in State
Court | amendment is, therefore, not a c
rule Of religious cone uct prescrlbe
,eople creed or church, and for this rsaS
o, religious discussion in this eOnnec
irrelevant,
GU VIII Every sovereign State has the !
prohibit whatever Is considered
and to command whatever is con
right. The liquor question was
the world when the Bible was wri
this book intemperance and drum
SAY 3 are denounced; but the manutactu
~ are use of liquor is not prohibited.
r, and wa wa ,bs civII law protected his woI
OF come as much as those who bowed the
,-, the great Jupiter, ruler OF earth a
We l0i' ven. and from whose hand the '
leading thundsrs roll.